Birds of a Feather
by CaptainRebeccaRobin
Summary: The legend of Pandora's Box takes many men to their deaths. As Captain Jack Sparrow is reunited with a girl from his past, things are about to get tricky when Cutler Beckett and Jack go head to head in a competition of wits and warfare, all while love rekindles itself in the face of danger. Enjoy! AU where Jack Sparrow doesn't get his last name from "acting like a bird" in DMTNT.
1. Chapter 1: Friends Alike

Rebecca Waters sat at the edge of her windowsill, her brown locks blowing softly in the warm breeze. She was still dressed in her nightgown, and a loose ribbon was nested in her curly hair. She looked out at the town as it slowly woke up, old hawkers pulling their rickety carts and women dressed in worn aprons feeding the chickens, or opening a window to let in the early morning sunshine. Rebecca often enjoyed watching the people go about their daily lives, bickering among themselves or skipping in the warm sun. She would make up stories about each person, and knew all their names and characters. Well, what she imagined their names were.

Today, however, a new figure walked through the streets. Or lurked, more like it. Slinking through shadows and dodging through carts, a small boy darted between the villagers. Rebecca narrowed her eyes to get a better look, but her gaze was torn away as a strong gust of wind ruffled her hair.

"My ribbon!"

Her soft red ribbon blew in the wind, floating dangerously close to the branches. It snagged on a lower arm of a nearby tree, too far away for her to climb down and grab it before her mother came in. As if on cue, the door swung open.

"Rebecca! Get away from that window! You could fall down!"

A sharp woman with an even sharper voice stood sternly in the doorway. Her hair was piled on her head in the most fashionable matter, or that's what the woman's friends told her. Rebecca didn't quite see what was so fashionable about it. It looked rather similar to a poodle.

Nonetheless, the woman was pretty in her own way. Soft grey eyes paired with a slightly upturned nose and rosy cheeks. Not much was similar between Rebecca and her mother except for the neat brown curls they both shared.

Rebecca had a narrower face and big brown eyes. She liked to wear her hair down and free, despite her mother's protests. Although, Rebecca was quite used to her mother's strict ways.

"Yes mum."

With one last look outside, Rebecca pulled away from the windowsill and stood facing her mother. She could've sworn she saw the same young figure looking up at her from the shadows before she turned away.

"We have company for supper today, so I expect you to be home and ready by that time. Your father's good friend Commodore Beckett is going to be joining us." Her mother paused as if debating something, and stoutly said, "Once you finish your lessons, you may play outside."

"Oh, thank you!" Rebecca replied enthusiastically. It was a rare treat when her mother let her play with the other girls.

The woman's lips upturned a bit, her only sign of a smile. She began to walk out the door before turning back around.

"Oh, one more thing. I want you to wear that red ribbon tonight with your floral dress. We want to impress these guests."

Rebecca fought the urge to look back out the window, swallowing a gulp. "Yes mum."

Another half smile, and the woman was out the door.

Rebecca hurriedly brushed through her hair, worried about the ribbon she had lost. All thoughts of that mysterious boy had disappeared as she pulled on a simple yellow dress. A maid walked in right as Rebecca had finished the last touches on her outfit.

"Good morning, Rebecca. I'm here to help- ah. I see you've already managed by yourself, once again," sighed the maid.

"Sorry," Rebecca shrugged, taking a second to admire her appearance. "I'm in a rush today. I will need your help later, before the guests arrive. I can never get the last button of that floral dress."

The maid dipped her head. "Of course, miss," and walked out the door.

Rebecca paused and checked to make sure the door had fully closed, then skipped back to the window. A large tree grew right outside, the branches close enough for her to jump to. With a wary glance towards her closed bedroom door, she braced herself against the window. She pursed her lips, a habit she had gotten into while she thinks, and gauged the distance.

Rebecca pushed off, springing into the air. For a split second, she was flying. Her curls twisted behind her and she stuck out her arms, savoring the moment.

Rebecca nimbly landed on a thick branch, gently placing her hands down to brace herself. When she was steady enough, she swung down to the next branch, and the next, until her feet brushed the cobblestones.

Rebecca glanced back at her window, to make sure no one had seen her. To her satisfaction, the room was still empty. She hadn't been caught yet. With a quick dust of her dress, Rebecca half ran, half walked over to the tree where her ribbon had been caught. She shielded her eyes from the sun and peered at the branches, none holding her ribbon.

The town bells rang out seven times, and Rebecca hesitantly pulled herself away from the edge of the tree, throwing one last look over her shoulder in hopes to see her ribbon, running off to her lessons. She hardly noticed the boy in the shadows watching her every move, a soft red ribbon in his dirty hands.

* * *

The young boy leaned against the edge of a large ship, watching the sailors. Every once in awhile he would pat his pant pocket, as if assuring himself something was still there. His father's crew busied themselves with barrels and supplies, preparations for the next voyage. The plan was to lie low until they had stocked up on enough supplies to head sail to the next land, and give the crew a chance to regain their land legs.

Such was the life of young Jack Teague, son of a pirate, and he often got bored during these occasional stops. Being the youngest on the crew, Jack didn't have any friends to play with, despite the crew's best attempts to entertain him. Nor was he able to help out much with the crew, being as small as he was.

So Jack often resorted to climbing trees, causing mischief or pick-pocketing an unlucky lad. Today however, he found himself rather interested in a young girl. No, not in that way. But he saw the way she leaped from her window to the tree, and instantly decided that she would be his friend. He didn't know her name yet, but he figured he could find that out after he returned the ribbon. For now, however, Jack had to wait until she returned.

A short while later, a stream of young girls soon skipped back to their homes, returning from their lessons on who knows what. Probably some boring girl things. Jack scanned for a familiar face, finding the same young girl walking behind the other girls, scanning the trees for a glimpse of red. Jack smiled to himself, and waltzed up to the girl.

"Hello."

The girl jumped. "Oh! You startled me." The girl pursed her lips and thought out loud, "Hey, have I seen you before?"

Jack shook his head. "No, I'm pretty new around here. But, uh-" Jack fished in his pocket, pulling out a slightly disheveled ribbon. "I found this, and I think it's yours."

The girl gasped and beamed happily. "Oh, thank you! My mother would've killed me!" She reached out, taking the ribbon. "My name is Rebecca, by the way. Rebecca Waters."

Jack smiled back, "My name is Jack."

Rebecca raised an eyebrow, saying, "Don't you have a last name?"

Jack opened his mouth, about to say something, but thought better of it. He still had to lie low.

To his surprise, Rebecca laughed. "Alright then! Just Jack it is. We'll think of a good last name for you later. Say," she started, "I'm allowed to play for a bit today. Would you like me to show you around, since you're new? It'll be my way of repaying you for finding my ribbon."

"That would be great," Jack smiled.

* * *

"And last of all, this is the forest. It's pretty big, and has the best climbing trees!" Rebecca said with admiration. She had just finished showing him all the best places in town, like where to get the best pies, the best milk, where the sailors hang out (Jack tried to avoid the staring eyes of the crew), and the best way to get to her fairly large house.

Jack started walking towards the small gap in the trees. "Come on then, let's go!"

"Well," Rebecca hesitated, looking over her shoulder as if she expected her mother to be standing behind her. "I guess so."

"Alright!"

The new friends walked casually through the forest, sometimes in silence, sometimes with laughter. Deeper and deeper into the forest they went, until they no longer could hear the voices of the town.

Suddenly, Rebecca stopped at the edge of a large tree, with a sly grin on her face.

"Last one up the tree is a rotten pirate!" she screamed, howling with laughter as she pulled herself onto the lowest branch.

Jack yelled up at her, "Hey! No fair!"

But young Rebecca had already climbed up halfway. Jack bolted after her, hastily skipping branches in order to catch up.

At last, Jack had met Rebecca at one of the highest branches. He pulled himself upwards and sat next to her, swinging his legs. Rebecca was already sitting, playing with a few curls.

"I guess you're a rotten pirate," she said, giggling.

Jack smiled, thinking if only she knew how close she was to the truth.

They sat in silence for a while, listening to the sound of the wind as they swung their legs to its rhythm.

"It's beautiful, isn't it?" Rebecca asked.

Jack nodded, taking in the view. They could see buildings for miles, flickering fires burning as it got later in the day. Jack suddenly felt very small, sitting on that tree with the broad sky above and land all around them.

Rebecca decided the most breathtaking sight was not the town, but the ocean that lay beyond it. Large ships docked at ports on crystal water that shined a brilliant blue. Rebecca gave a sigh of contempt. With the two sitting so quietly, they hardly noticed that a little bird hopped nervously up the tree, inching closer.

"Look!" Rebecca pointed, and Jack looked at the branch beside him. "I think he likes you!"

The little bird continued to hop closer. Jack stretched out his hand, urging the bird forwards.

"I think it's a sparrow," Jack murmured.

A call came from another tree, and the bird hopped just out of reach, flying away so soon. Before Jack had time to pout, the sparrow came back, but this time with a friend. A beautiful, red-chested robin flew alongside the sparrow. They swooped through the trees, twisting against the blue sky as they called to one another. Rebecca and Jack enjoyed watching the birds fly together. Eventually the birds parted ways, but not before giving affectionate calls to each other.

Rebecca let out a little laugh, "Looks like you're now Jack the Bird Lover."

Jack snorted at this remark. "So first I'm Jack the Rotten Pirate, and now I'm Jack the Bird Lover?"

Rebecca shrugged, "Hey, it was your fault for not telling me your last name." Rebecca considered this a moment, tightening her lips. "That's it!"

"What is it?" Jack asked.

"Jack Sparrow!" she exclaimed.

"Jack...Sparrow? I don't understand," he said.

"That's your new last name! I told you I would come up with one."

Jack said the strange name out loud.

"Jack Sparrow…"

Somehow, the name felt comfortable and natural on his lips, as if it were the one he were born with. He repeated the name a couple times, with Rebecca waiting expectantly for his approval.

"I like it a lot," Jack Sparrow said.

Rebecca beamed with joy, "Oh good! I think it suits you very well."

"But if you're going to give me a name, I need to give you one," Jack insisted.

Rebecca nodded her head, and let him continue.

"Rebecca...Robin!" he exclaimed.

"Just like the second bird! Oh Jack, I love it!" Rebecca said. "It makes me feel like a pirate with names like these."

Jack laughed, and couldn't have agreed more. "I can assure you any pirate would approve."

Rebecca seemed very satisfied with that answer.

And so the new friends, Rebecca Robin and Jack Sparrow, remained on the tree, forming a stronger bond between their new names.


	2. Chapter 2: Kindling

p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;"It was now eight years since the two had met and they were both young adults. Although they did not see each other as much as they wanted to, Jack, now eighteen, was able to visit every couple of months with a bit of persuasion to his father. The pair had gotten rather close, both considering the other their truest friend. Recently, Jack hadn't been able to visit Rebecca in over a year, only talking through sparse letters that took near weeks to reach each other./p  
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;"Today was Rebecca's sixteenth birthday. It was around noon on a summer day, and she celebrated with a walk through the market with several of her other friends. They giggled and talked and flirted with passing boys just as any other girls their age. Rebecca wore her hair loose as usual, showing off a sea-green dress with an elegant wave pattern that her mother had given to her for her birthday./p  
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;""Oh my, Rebecca," called her friend Helen, "I believe there is a handsome man over there just embegging/em for your attention."/p  
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;"All the girls burst into giggles, including Rebecca, trying to get a glimpse of this mysterious person. Helen stealthily pointed him out in the shadows of the market. A tall figure was leaning against a shop wall and obviously stealing the occasional glance at Rebecca. A red cloth covered his mid-length, brown hair, hiding his face in the shadows. He was clothed in a dirty white shirt with billowing sleeves and a mostly open neckline tucked into brown pants and worn boots. A cutlass was worn at his hip and he held a small box which he turned over in his hands./p  
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;""Well?" Helen asked. "Go get his attention!"/p  
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;"Rebecca just gave her a shrug, unsure of what to do. Helen leaned into her ear, explaining her foolproof plan to get any man's attention. Or at least, that's what she said./p  
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;"Careful to follow Helen's plan, Rebecca put on her most innocent face and walked over to the shop that was nearest the wall, pretending to be interested in the heavenly baked goods displayed in the store window. After standing there for a few moments, Rebecca turned around abruptly, just as they had planned, and ran into the nearest passerby that was right in front of the man./p  
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;"Rebecca collided into the random stranger, dropping her handkerchief on the ground in her shock with no notice. The stranger and her exchanged their quick apologies and went about their ways, paying no attention to the handkerchief that had been strategically left behind for their bit of fun. Rebecca continued on, resisting the urge to look back at the man and waited for his response./p  
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;""Miss? You've dropped something emcoincidentally/em right in front of me, and I believe you'd want it back."/p  
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;"Rebecca cringed, and knew she had been caught in her scheme. She hesitantly spun around to face the figure./p  
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;"A young man with tan complexion and a strong face stood before her, a mischievous twinkle in his kohl-lined eyes. Dark, choppy hair strewn out from his bandana, just long enough to fit in a ponytail if he tried. He was nearly a head taller than Rebecca and stood with a stature not of importance and manner like the other boys she had been interested in, but of carelessness and adventure. Rebecca stared into his familiar brown eyes, pursing her lips./p  
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;""Miss me, Robin?" he said with a wink./p  
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;""Jack!" Rebecca exclaimed, running into his arms and embracing him in a hug. "It feels like it's been ages!" She held onto him for a little too long, and stood back to admire how he had changed. "I hardly recognized you!"/p  
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;""Aye, a year apart does seem to do that. But you should look at yourself, luv. You've changed quite a bit from the naive eight year old I met long ago," Jack said, beaming at her rather flirtatiously./p  
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;"Rebecca blushed, eager to pull the attention off herself. "Where have you been? Tell me all about your adventures! Are you still working as a merchant under your father? Oh Jack, how I've missed you!" Rebecca said eagerly./p  
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;"Jack held a straight face, even under the last question about his merchant father. "All answers for another time. But for now, I have something for you. Happy Birthday, Rebecca."/p  
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;"Rebecca smiled as Jack handed her the small box he had been keeping safe. She opened it tenderly and gasped. Inside was a beautiful necklace. Two feathers had been tied around a string that dangled two blue beads, so that it looked similar to a tassel, connecting to a long rope chain. She took it in her hand, and admired its beauty./p  
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;""Will you put it on me?"/p  
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;"Rebecca turned around so Jack could put it on. He gently pulled back her brown curls from her neck and draped the necklace around her, clasping it in the back. Rebecca 's face shone with joy as she held the necklace carefully in her hand./p  
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;""It took me awhile to get, but it has one feather from a robin, and one from a sparrow. I have one too," he said. Jack pulled back his messy locks to show the feathers tucked underneath his hair./p  
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;""I love it, Sparrow. I'll wear it always," Rebecca said with utmost sincerity./p  
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;"Rebecca left her friends, telling them she would fill them in later. Jack linked her arm under his and they made their way through the market and into the woods, both knowing where to go without saying a word./p  
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;"Finally, when they had reached the cover of the trees Rebecca burst out with her questions. "Well? How has the sea life been? I've been emdying/em to know."/p  
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;"Jack gave a sad smile and turned to Rebecca, sitting with her beneath a tree. "Rebecca, I hate to do this on your birthday, but I need to tell you the whole truth. Even if you will hate me after."/p  
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;"Rebecca willed him on hesitantly with her eyes./p  
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;"Jack sighed, pulling up the sleeve of his right arm. He turned it over and showed a scarred P shape over his wrist, healing but still inflamed. Rebecca stifled her gasp, knowing the mark as well as any. It was the mark of a pirate. Rebecca looked back and forth from his recent scar to Jack's face./p  
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;""You've been a pirate all along, haven't you?"/p  
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;"Jack rose his eyes, expecting to see a look of judgement and disappointment. Instead, he saw those kind brown eyes of hers looking at him with a hint of wonder./p  
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;""Not always," he said, dipping his head. "My father is Edward Teague, infamous pirate of the Caribbean. And I am his son, bound to follow in his footsteps. For a while I stepped away from the path of piracy, working under an Englishman. It appears I couldn't stay that way for long."/p  
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;"She considered this, pursing her lips. "Who did this to you?" she said, gesturing to his arm./p  
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;"Jack pulled down his sleeve, covering the mark once again. "It doesn't matter. What matters is that I'm here, with you."/p  
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;"Rebecca nodded, unconsciously placing her hand on his for comfort. She buried the disgust she felt towards whoever did this and gave Jack a weak smile./p  
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;""Don't worry, luv. I left my own mark on him."/p  
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;"Suddenly they both realized Rebecca's hand resting on his and they pulled away from each other quickly. Rebecca's face turned red as Jack smiled at her with his classic mischievous look before it turned back into his frown./p  
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;""I'm sorry I have never told you before. I didn't want you to run away from me. From who I really am."/p  
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;"Rebecca looked into his eyes. "Jack, I would never run away from you. Pirating is in your blood, so you'll have to square with that someday."/p  
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;"Jack considered this, toeing a stick on the ground. Rebecca reached for his scarred arm, gently caressing the mark./p  
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;""Besides, being a pirate is rather exciting," she winked, dropping his hand./p  
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;"Jack looked at her, taking a moment to appreciate her beauty. Not just physically, but the way she walked and talked. The way she looked at the sea, the way she gently held his hand. Rebecca's eyes locked with his and Jack reached a hand to her face, softly holding her cheek./p  
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;"Jack leaned in and kissed her./p  
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;"It was a while before they pulled apart, but when they did, they both held faint smiles on their faces, not looking away from each other's eyes./p  
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;""Come with me, Robin," Jack said, taking both her hands in his./p  
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;""What?"/p  
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;""Come with me. To the sea. To the world! Run away with me," he exclaimed./p  
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;"Rebecca turned away, hesitation showing on her face. For a moment, Jack was sure she was going to reject his offer. emHow could I have been so stupid? She has everything here, there's nothing a pirate like me could offer her. She has money and-/em/p  
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;""Yes," she breathed./p  
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;""Really?" Jack asked, not willing to hide the surprise on his face./p  
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;""Yes! I will go with you."/p  
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;"This time the kiss was more passionate. He held her in his arms./p  
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;"In all honesty, Rebecca had no idea what she was doing. She knew she shouldn't be doing this and that there would be no turning back to her old life.. She knew she was betraying everything her parents stood for. But she also knew she was not afraid. The bubbling in her chest told her adventure awaited. And she embraced it./p  
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;"They walked back into the town, hand in hand. A silent darkness had fallen over the houses, the only sound was their feet over the cobblestone paths. The pair made their way to the front of Rebecca's house, pausing by the gate. Rebecca took Jack's hands in hers./p  
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;""See you again tomorrow?" she asked./p  
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;""Tomorrow," Jack grinned./p  
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;"He reached in and gave her a kiss on the cheek before turning away into the darkness. Rebecca held a hand to her face, admitting to herself that she very much liked his lips on hers./p  
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;""Jack?" she called out./p  
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;""Yes, luv?" he smiled, stopping in his tracks./p  
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;""When will we leave?"/p  
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;"Jack winked at her, replying, "At the opportune moment, luv."/p  
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;"Rebecca could only smile as he sauntered away, and could ask for no better response./p  
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;"The next morning, Rebecca made her way to the forest, just as her and Jack had planned earlier. She skipped giddily past the buildings, unable to keep a smile off her face./p  
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;"As she passed the town jail, she noticed a large rioting crowd had formed. Rebecca stopped, curious and wondering what the commotion was about. She leaned over the outskirts of the crowd, not able to see what everyone was yelling about./p  
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;""Look! There she is!"/p  
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;"A man yelled from the center of the crowd, and everyone moved so that the man was pointing directly at Rebecca./p  
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;""What, me?" she asked, bewildered./p  
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;""You're the girl that this empirate/em threatened last night!" he yelled louder, rioting up the crowd with him./p  
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;"Rebecca looked past the man and saw Jack Sparrow in handcuffs, beaten heavily. Rebecca gasped, ready to defend his honor. She opened her mouth, ready to yell at the crowd when a sharp look from Jack silenced her./p  
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;"emDon't say a word luv, /emhis eyes seemed to say./p  
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;"Rebecca kept her mouth shut, although angry to do so, and a military official pulled Jack away, dragging him in the handcuffs. He winked at her, although it obviously caused him pain to do so. He tried to assure her everything would be alright./p  
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;"The crowd closed around him, shutting Rebecca off. They cheered as Jack was tossed around, dragged into the jail./p  
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;""No! No!" Rebecca yelled, crying to whoever would listen./p  
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;"Her attempts were drowned out in the crowd, and as everyone dispersed she was left standing there, awestruck and confused. A million questions flooded her mind. How had Jack been discovered? Why did that man say he emthreatened /emher? Jack would never harm her in his life. Not intentionally./p  
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;"Suddenly a sharp realization struck through her. Last night. Someone must have seen them together. She wanted to call out whoever that coward was, but she kept her calm and whipped around to face the direction she came./p  
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;""I'll come back, Jack," she whispered./p  
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;"Rebecca was in her room, pacing back and forth furiously, her lips tightened and mind racing. It had been several hours since Jack had been tossed away in jail. She flopped on her bed angrily, fiddling with her new necklace./p  
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;"When her mind had finally been made, she risked a quick look at the door, swinging open her window and jumping swiftly onto the ledge. She braced herself for a moment and jumped onto her tree, eased by years of practice. She leapt down onto the cobblestone, quickly dusted off the lavender dress she wore and stormed off to the town jail./p  
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;"In moments, Rebecca had made her way down the stairs and into the stench of the generally empty town jail. She saw Jack sitting in the corner of the closest one, messing with a stone on the ground. She rushed over until a rather skinny man stepped in her tracks./p  
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;""Just what do you think you're doing, Miss Waters?" the military official said./p  
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;""I wish to speak with the man who threatened me," Rebecca responded coldly./p  
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;""An' why would you be wanting to do that?" He sneered, blocking her only view of Jack./p  
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;""Excuse me?" Rebecca said, stepping so close to the man that she could have stepped on his toes. "Do you know who I am? Do you know who my emfather/em is? My father is Commodore Jerome Waters, and do you really think you ought to be questioning his daughter?"/p  
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;"The man considered this, but did not back down./p  
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;"Rebecca took another step, this time forcing the man to step backwards. "Last time I checked, my father could take away your job, your money, your status." Rebecca leaned even closer, whispering loudly into his ear, "Your emwomen/em."/p  
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;"The man stumbled and stepped aside, heading up the stairs. He looked back at her, obviously uncomfortable./p  
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;""Two minutes. That's it."/p  
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;""That's all I need," Rebecca smirked./p  
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;"Rebecca held her threatening stance until the man had backed out of view. Almost collapsing with relief, she rushed forward to Jack, reaching for him behind the bars. Her hands felt warm on his cold face./p  
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;""Oh my dear Jack, what happened? Why are they doing this?" Rebecca asked desperately./p  
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;"Jack smiled at her, avoiding the question. "Nice job you did there. Getting rid of the guard like that."/p  
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;""Sparrow, answer me."/p  
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;"Jack Sparrow rolled his eyes, knowing Rebecca would win no matter what he tried. "Someone saw us together, last night and they believed I was trying to hurt you. Or at least, that's what they pretended they saw. When I was discovered to be a pirate," he said, rubbing his scar, "they found an even better reason to lock me up."/p  
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;"Rebecca felt as if her stomach flung to the floor. An accusation like that could easily lead to a hanging, especially when the man is already a pirate and marked as one./p  
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;"Jack looked at her shocked face and leaned in close, "Don't worry, luv. I'll find a way to get me out of this particular predicament. Then you and me are free and I'll take you under my arms to sail the seas."/p  
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;"Rebecca smiled at the thought, but it soon faltered. "Jack, do you know anything about the person who locked you up?"/p  
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;"The dust in the cell seemed to close up his throat. He didn't want to answer, but he feared Rebecca already knew the answer. "Your mother."/p  
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;"Rebecca didn't have a chance to respond before the guard came back in with a stern look on his face, not willing to be talked out of his position once again./p  
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;""Your two minutes is up," he said, glancing at Rebecca crouching on the floor next to Jack with a shocked look on her face./p  
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;""And I'd gladly meet with you again, luv," Jack said, pretending to be the fiendish pirate he was made out to be and continued the conversation they never had./p  
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;"Rebecca placed a stern, disgusted look over her face and reached through the bars as if to embrace him, but promptly slapped him across the face. Jack was shocked enough by her actions that he need not pretend to be hurt./p  
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;"She let herself be led out by the guard, throwing an apologetic look over her shoulder. Jack only shrugged and gave her a quick wink. She gave a weak smile. Her stomach seemed to sink into the ground. Her mother! Her own mother did this to her./p  
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;"Tears were brimming her eyes by the time she reached her house, but she quickly wiped them away and stormed up her steps./p  
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;""Mother!" She called into the empty house, a fire burning in her eyes. "I wish to speak with you."/p  
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;" /p  
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;"Jack sat on the dusty cell floor, mindlessly pushing around some pebbles. His mind swarmed over Rebecca, worried she would get herself kicked out or even disowned for kissing a pirate. . As for himself, he barely considered the fact that he would most likely be hanged for his alleged actions. For once in his life, but not the last time, he was worried about someone else's safety over his own./p  
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;"He clenched his hands, aching to be back on open waters and away from all this. Hopefully with Rebecca by his side. A smile stretched across his lips at the thought./p  
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;"Jack missed her plenty this past year, wondering if she was missing him nearly as much. His questions were quickly answered yesterday, only for her to be taken away from him shortly. Jack's thoughts were disrupted by the entrance door clanging loudly, followed by footsteps./p  
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;"Jack quickly flopped to his back on the floor, stretching his hands out pretending to be asleep. Pretty soon the footsteps stopped loudly by his door. There was some murmuring, and he cracked open an eye./p  
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;"A rather short man stood before him, wearing the typical navy blue commodore coat adorned with golden embellishments. He stared down at Sparrow, surveying him over and giving a huff of disapproval from under his neat pompous white wig./p  
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;""Cutler Beckett."/p  
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;"A short pause before the short man spoke back./p  
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;""Jack Sparrow."/p  
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;"It was all Jack could do to not lunge at the despicable man as he said his name. His mind fleetingly drifted to the Black Pearl, his ship still hopefully docked and not burnt once again. He highly doubted Davy Jones would make another deal./p  
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;"Cutler Beckett laughed haughtily. "It just so happens that I was in town for other matters when you managed to get yourself caught. All it took was a quick match of superiority and I convinced the guards to let me take you back with me."/p  
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;""And what exactly gives you the right to do that?" Jack said, rising to his feet and towering over the stout man./p  
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;""Miss Waters. The girl you threatened? I presume you know her, though I can't tell how well she knows you. I came to this dreary town to ask for her hand in marriage- therefore you are now my business."/p  
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;"Jack's stomach sunk. "What makes you think she will say yes?"/p  
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;""Because she already has. I made way to the Waters' residence within the past half hour and gave her my proposal. She was more than eager to accept the engagement."/p  
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;"Beckett knew his words were a sword, wrenching through Jack's heart. Jack's face and mind went blank- no thoughts or witty remarks ran through his head./p  
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;"Jack paused, considering the stakes. "What can I possibly give you that makes it all worth it?"/p  
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;"Cutler Beckett didn't waste a glance at Jack, reaching into his coat for his pocket watch. He flipped the golden top open, promptly checked the time, and walked out without looking back./p  
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;" /p  
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;"Rebecca's mother sat in the parlor; Rebecca, too worried to sit, paced angrily around the room. She whirled toward her mother./p  
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;""How could you do this? You sent him to be hung for emnothing/em." The words laced around her tongue./p  
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;"Her mother crossed her legs, straightening slightly. "I did what I had to do to help my daughter live a happy life."/p  
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;""I am happy with Jack."/p  
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;""Ah," her mother huffed. "So that's the name of the insufferable pirate who has paraded his way into your heart."/p  
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;"Rebecca found it pointless to argue. "Why are you doing this? He has done no wrong."/p  
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;""Except embarrass and deface a Commodore of the Royal Navy, fail to complete orders issued by said Commodore and is taking my daughter away from me," she said promptly. "I will not have my daughter be stricken by a empirate/em," she said, spitting out the word, "when a much more capable suitor has followed through."/p  
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;""Excuse me?" Rebecca asked, baffled./p  
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;"Her mother looked smug and proud as she replied. "Commodore Beckett has asked your father for your hand in marriage. We have accepted."/p  
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;""We? Where is my say in this? I will not marry that man!"/p  
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;""What, do you plan to run away with this Jack?" she fumed./p  
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;"Rebecca gave no answer. She turned toward the door, her hair billowing behind her in a flurry. Her mind was already considering every possible way to get out of this mess./p  
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;""Besides, you couldn't anyway."/p  
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;"Rebecca stopped in her tracks./p  
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;""He has already made way with Cutler Beckett and agreed to become his personal privateer. In fact, his ship is leaving right now. Any thought he had of you has been left far behind," her mother said, satisfied to have won the battle. "He's a pirate and nothing more. I thought even you would have more common sense than to believe he would ever choose you over an opportunity like this."/p  
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;""No," Rebecca breathed out./p  
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;"She raced to the nearest window, flinging open the curtain. Sure enough, the blackest ship of all was quickly making its way out of port, already leaving the town. She almost thought she could make out the speck of black locks swaying in the wind, those dark eyes never once looking back. Everything felt so wrong./p  
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;"She couldn't believe what Sparrow had done./p  
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;"She just hoped he would be happy./p  
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;" /p  
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;"Jack stood on the helm of his ship, arms shackled behind his back. Here he was, chained on emhis own ship/em like some prisoner. Cutler Beckett's right hand man stood with him, surveying to make sure Jack would not attempt any ill-conceived escapes./p  
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;"Any fight that was left in him was gone. There was no point going back to that island anymore. Oh he would escape, of course, but with Rebecca betrothed to his enemy… what was the point? Jack had truly thought she cared for him and that she would go with him. He hadn't realized their first kiss would also be their last. Everything felt so wrong. Jack scanned the sea, the only love that would not betray him./p  
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;"He couldn't believe what Robin had done./p  
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;"He just hoped she would be happy./p  
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;"strongAN: Hello! I hope you enjoy the latest chapter. Reviews, comments, and criticisms are very much appreciated! I want you as a reader to help me figure out how to improve this story. :)/strong/p  
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;"strongKeep a wary eye on the sea. It's always changing./strong/p 


	3. Chapter 3: Just Like Old Times

**Author's Note: Hello mates. I acknowledge this is a very overdue chapter. Please take the time to review, I'm not really sure how I feel about this chapter. Enjoy!**

Chapter 3: Just Like Old Times

 _Several years later..._

 _Tortuga_

The bar was filthy with grime, pungent with rum, and loud with drunken songs ringing throughout the tavern. A young woman sat in the back, clearly on her fourth or fifth drink. Her features were hidden under a black cocked hat, wearing a cropped brown vest over a fairly loose shirt. An intricately decorated cutlass hang low off her belt. Her hair flew freely, the curls framing her hidden face.

She reached for her current drink, stirring her finger in the cup for a bit. Drunk though she was, she always had one eye on the tavern.

It was in the middle of this drink that a certain man walked in, almost as drunk as she was. It was easy to dismiss him as any other ordinary rogue, but this man had such a familiarity about him that he caught the woman's eye for a moment. She shoved off the thought with a sip of her rum.

He trotted about the room, making rounds with his crew, who had trailed in eagerly behind him. Ringlets streamed out from his hat, adorned with beads and a red bandana. One could only describe him as an organized mess that was made up of a brown coat strewn over billowing pants, covered with scarves, belts and trinkets of sorts.

His face, she drunkenly admitted, was handsome enough. Wild. His eyes were a deep brown and lined with kohl, always seeming to twinkle with mischief, even when the rum went to his head.

The woman pulled herself out of the trance, and quickly downed her drink. She needed more rum if she was willing to allow this sort of talk. She waved over a bartender, placed down a few coins and ordered another glass.

The rum was brought swiftly, much to the woman's delight. She gulped down nearly the entire glass, not noticing the wild man sauntering over to her table. She had just set down the glass when he began to speak.

"There's only two times I've seen a person drink like that, luv," he said, taking a seat across from her.

She snorted and licked her lips, savoring the flavor of leftover rum. "And when would that be?"

"When they are about to die," he said, pausing. "Or when they wish to."

The woman met his gaze. "I'll leave it up to your imagination to decide which," she said, raising the glass in his direction before drinking the rest.

The bartender was already waiting to take her order. The woman placed down another coin, propping her legs up on the table. The man across from her placed a coin down as well.

"What's your name?" he asked.

"Not of your concern," she responded. "And yours?"

He grinned, showing an array of golden teeth. "Likewise."

Two glasses of rum were brought to their table.

The woman tilted her head with a curt smile and raised her glass once more. "To the nameless."

The pirate matched her grin and clinked his glass against hers. The woman downed her drink.

"My name is Becca Waters, by the way. _Captain_ Becca Waters," she said, carefully watching him to see if he recognized her name.

The man propped his legs up on the table, leaning back with face remaining neutral. "Nice name."

"And yours?"

He grinned again, flashing that oddly familiar golden smile, and proceeded to finish the rest of his rum. Becca just placed another coin down on the table, crossing her arms.

"I don't think you'll be needing any more rum, luv."

"And why should I let you decide that?" Becca questioned, raising a dark eyebrow.

"You might just thank me," he said, matching her gaze with a smirk.

With nothing more than a wave, he got up and left. The barmaid was about to place her new drink down before he swept it up in his hands, drank it quickly and dropped the empty cup on the table. The poor maid looked confused and shocked as she made eye contact with Becca, but Becca waved her off and gave her another coin for her troubles.

It was all Becca could do to not look back at the man who had stolen her drink as she walked out the door.

Becca half-ran, half-walked under the blanket of the cold night, passing shabby houses and full taverns. Her black hat had blown off in the wind somewhere, but she didn't care enough to fetch it. She had snatched it off some poor bloke when she had arrived to Tortuga anyway. It didn't matter much to her.

She stopped at the edge of the beach, sitting in the cold sand and letting the sound of the waves crashing soothe her. She closed her eyes, taking in the salty breeze and the call of the ocean. Oh, it had been such a long time since she first heard that call. When she dropped everything she had to answer it.

And now she had nothing to show for it. No more ship, no more crew. And Becca was still trying to call herself a captain. Angrily, her drunken mind drifted back to the day she lost everything.

 _One Week Ago_

 _Caribbean Sea_

" _Broadside port!" shouted Captain Becca Waters loudly over the sounds of cannons._

 _In response to her command, the portside cannons went off swiftly. Carter, her first mate, looked nervously over her shoulder. The battle was slowly turning in their favor, but he worried the East India Trading Co ship would blow them to pieces before the odds changed in their favor._

" _Rebecca-" he started._

 _Becca quickly cut him off. "You know I don't like you calling me that."_

 _Carter sighed, speaking just loudly enough to be heard over the roar of cannonfire. "Becca… are you sure this is a good idea? If we turn around now we'll have enough time to catch the south winds and get out of range."_

 _Becca looked at him with a sharp eye. If they weren't as close as brother and sister, she would have thought him awfully good-looking. With a half-grin, she said, "Carter, you worry yourself too much. We'll be out of here in no time, and richer than any other pirate on these seas."_

" _And what do you suppose is so valuable on their ship?" he asked._

 _Cannons raged through the air. "Something more dangerous than death itself… but something far more worthy than the entire British Empire," she said._

 _Across the way, the East India Trading Company fired furiously at the pirate ship. Cannons stormed by the Captain's head, narrowly missing the main mast._

" _Captain!" cried out a soldier. "There's no way we can win. What are we going to do?"_

 _The man looked out at the losing battle and back to his awaiting crew. He closed his eyes, thinking for a hard moment. "Open the box."_

 _After a hesitant moment, the first mate ran off and within an instant he returned with a large black chest. The captain walked over to the box, and with a grim look on his face, unlocked the latch and swung the top open._

 _Like wasps from a hive, hundreds of black shadows swarmed out of the box, taking a human-like form. They hovered over the ship and overlooked the battle, blocking out the sun from the sky._

" _Rebecca!" Carter yelled._

 _Becca had no time to react. The shadows swooped over the ship, grabbing pirates with their long, dark hands. Those who tried to scream were quickly cut off, the shadow creatures seeming to pull the life out of them. She could do nothing as her crew dropped dead around her. She lay low on the deck, eyes wide with terror as she looked at Carter who hid with her._

 _Carter turned to Rebecca. "Rebecca. You need to jump."_

" _What?"_

" _NOW!" Carter cried. Right as a shadow reached to grab them, he grabbed Rebecca by the hand and threw her over the side._

 _As Rebecca fell, the world slowed around her. Carter gave her a look of no regret, giving a last half-smile before a shadow creature swallowed him, wrapping him in clouds of black. She plunged into the icy water, hands still reaching out, before darkness consumed her._

* * *

Jack Sparrow sauntered out of the tavern, one hand wrapped around a lucky raven-haired wench and the other around a half-empty bottle. Or was it half-full?

He swirled the liquid with a flick of his wrist. No, definitely half-empty.

The raven-haired girl giggled suggestively, pulling him down the street eagerly. Jack went happily, flashing his signature gold smile. The girl giggled again.

Jack almost tripped over something on the forgotten street, mumbling a curse under his breath. The raven-haired girl bent over to pick up what he tripped over. A black hat. She pulled it over her head, laughing loudly.

"Do ya like my hat, Captain?" She giggled.

"You know, darling," Jack said suggestively, "it would look much better if you were wearing nothing else."

The girl giggled loudly and pulled him farther down the street. A large gust of wind blew the hat off her head and the pair stopped for a moment, debating whether or not to run back and grab it. Jack paused, staring at the hat now sitting in a dirty puddle. He had seen that hat somewhere before.

Jack snatched the hat off the ground, shaking off the water and scanning the area. There, on the beach, a figure was wading in the water. He looked at the hat again, then back at the woman and released a big sigh.

"Will you excuse me for a moment?"

"Wha- Sparrow! Get back here!" she cried.

Jack didn't turn around as he said, "It's _Captain_ , luv."

Captain Jack awkwardly ran across the beach to the woman who had begun to swim. He grumbled something to himself about how she better not have a pirate medallion when he noticed a dark figure floating across the ocean. The figure, barely noticeable in the moonlight, grazed silently over the water, making its way to the oblivious woman. Jack drew his sword, running much faster now.

"Becca!" he called out.

Becca swirled around, startled to see him and figuring he was just as drunk as she was.

"Behind you!" he said, but it was a moment too late.

The dark figure reached out to Becca, long dark arms pulling at the strings of her life. Jack saw the color begin to drain from her face as she fell unconscious and he wondered if he should run while he still could.

Before he could think any further, an older man yelling loudly and holding a torch in each hand ran out into the water. Jack's eyes widened for a moment before he quickly followed the strange man. As the man with the torches grew closer to the dark figure and Becca's motionless body, the creature began to shriek and squirm at the sight of him. The torch light appeared to burn at the edge of the darkness, causing the figure to reel up.

Jack drew his sword, despite knowing it would help nothing. The dark figure let out a final high-pitched screech that hurt Jack's ears before dropping Becca's body into the water with a splash. It glided quickly away and disappeared into the night.

Jack dropped everything onto the sand and dove into the ocean, swimming to Becca's frozen body. He hauled her out of the mid-deep water and said a thankful prayer that she wasn't wearing a heavy dress. Jack pulled her onto the sand, taking only a moment to catch his breath before checking Becca. She was breathing, but only barely.

It was only now that Jack decided to take in the torch-man who had fought off that… creature. Apparently that man had decided to do the same thing.

"Jack?"

"Gibbs?"

Mr. Gibbs, a short fellow with graying hair, widened his eyes at the sight of his captain. "There's no time to explain. We need to get her inside, and fast. Before that creature returns," Gibbs urged.

Jack and Gibbs gently picked up the young woman and Gibbs directed Jack through the back door of a shabby looking house. They gently placed the woman on a table placed in the middle of a dark room. Jack looked around confused, not realizing he was still holding on to the woman.

"Now, we must be quiet," Gibbs said, "or we might wake up-"

"Joshamee! What are you doing up at this hour?"

A stout older woman appeared in the door frame, her graying hair framing her stern face. She looked furiously between Jack and Gibbs before resting upon Becca, still unconscious upon the table.

Gibbs gave an apologetic look towards the woman. "Matilda, love, you've been so overworked lately. I didn't want to wake you up."

"Well, I'm awake now," said Matilda matter-of-factly, crossing over to the Becca's motionless figure. "Another one?"

Gibbs nodded and avoided the gaze of the bewildered Jack. "A reaper nearly took her out onto the ocean. There were no others with it."

Matilda murmured, "They're getting arrogant." She held up Becca's wrist and revealed two black scars on her hand, looking strikingly similar to the claws of the shadow creatures . "It appears this isn't her first encounter with the reapers."

"Could someone explain what the hell is going on?" Jack said, gesturing helplessly.

Matilda mumbled something to herself once more and took a torch off the wall. She waved it over Becca, pausing at over her head and inspected the shadow the torch formed.

"You stand there and be quiet," she said to Jack. "She's been hurt pretty bad, but she's going to live. Her shadow is a bit dull. The reaper took quite a bit out of her, but all she needs is some sun and some rest."

Gibbs looked at Becca's wrist. "And the black scars?"

Matilda responded, "Side-effect of running into the Reapers. They might clear up on their own, but for now they aren't harmful." Matilda faced Jack. "You'd best take her out of Tortuga by sunrise, or else that Reaper might come back to finish its job- and this time, it won't be alone. Understood?"

Jack nodded his head even though he really didn't understand. Gibbs stared for a moment at his old friend, confusion settling upon his face.

"How did you and, uh-" he said, motioning towards the unconcious girl on the table.

"Barely know her," Jack said. "Met her tonight."

Gibbs nodded and got up to put out the torch.

"And you and.. Matilda?" Jack asked.

Gibbs smiled a bit. "She saved my life from a Reaper. I've been helping her ever since."

Jack fiddled with his sword. It had been a while since he'd seen Gibbs, but the two always ended up finding each other. But now, Gibbs had this _woman_ and…

"Would you like to come back to the Pearl with me?" Jack suddenly asked. "I still need a first mate."

Gibbs' eyes lit up, but he hesitantly glanced over his shoulder. "I'd be honored, but, well there's Matilda-"

The two men hadn't realized Matilda was standing in the doorway. "And you think I'm going to let you two leave me behind?"

Gibbs frowned. "Of course not."

"Right then," she said. "So when do we leave?"

Jack and Gibbs looked at each other, confused.

"Joshamee, you clearly want to get back to the sea. And, frankly, I don't want to stay much longer on this rotten island. So we'll leave by morning then?"

Gibbs turned to Jack, a pleading look in his eyes. Jack sighed, his eyes drifting to Becca. "By morning."

Gibbs smiled wide. "Thank ye Jack. You won't regret it. It'll be just like old times."

"Except with two women on board and these 'Reapers' chasing after us. Just like old times."


	4. Chapter 4: The Jack Sparrow I Knew

**Author's Note: Hey.. so yeah, it's been quite a bit since I've updated this, hasn't it? Well, life has been busy but I missed writing this story and I miss Jack, so here you are with another chapter. I'm going to start updating this more regularly, hopefully. Sorry, and enjoy!**

Chapter 4: The Jack Sparrow I Knew

 _A Couple Days Later..._

 _Open waters_

Jack and his crew, plus the new journeyers, had packed up before dawn and left the shores of Tortuga at once, only a few days before. It hadn't taken long for him to gather up his crew, as they were all still rallying at the tavern he left them at.

Jack stood at the helm of the Pearl in the glow of the early sun. He was the only one awake this early in the morning. He was just as exhausted as he was confused, Jack admitted to himself. He had been up all night guiding the Pearl through the waters, and _away_ from Tortuga, something he would not normally do so soon.

He sighed and glanced behind him towards his cabin where Matilda had put this mysterious woman to rest so she could recover from… whatever had happened last night. Jack had faced lots of dangers before- undead pirates, ancient curses, new horizons, hell, even death itself. But this time he had no idea what he was getting into.

Jack, lost in his thoughts, didn't notice Mr. Gibbs walk up beside him.

"Perhaps you should let me take over for a little while, Captain."

Jack looked Gibbs over and nodded his agreement, relieved to let his mate take his place.

"The girl?" he asked.

"Matilda says she'll be awake by tonight. She's asleep, but getting better. I sent Matilda back down to the cabins to get some rest."

Jack nodded again, mumbled a small thanks to Gibbs and stumbled off to his own cabin. He opened the door, his eyes gradually adjusting to the dimly lit room. There he noticed Becca, asleep in _his_ bed, wearing some of _his_ spare clothes. Matilda must have used them to dress her.

Jack shook his head and set his hat on a table that was covered in maps and charts, before waltzing over to a chest in the back. It creaked loudly as he opened it, and he froze in place, peering over to make sure Becca was still asleep. Once he was sure she had not woken from the noise, he pulled a dusty rum bottle out of the chest and pulled the cork off with his teeth. Again, the chest creaked as it closed, but Becca barely stirred.

He sat at his desk and studied a torn map in front of him, drinking occasionally from the bottle. He muttered some quizzical things to himself, tracing the lines on the map and referring back to his compass every once in a while, not noticing the woman who was now waking in his bed.

Becca, just now waking up since the incident, opened her eyes to an unfamiliar ceiling. Her head ached terribly. Perhaps she had a bit too much to drink last night. She couldn't remember a thing.

Becca looked at the pillows next to her, half-expecting some stranger to be sharing the bed with her. She let out a sigh of relief when she found no one, but that still gave her no answers as to where she was. She would have just laid there confused had a mysterious voice not spoken up.

"What about... No, no, that doesn't work. I need more rum."

Becca bolted upright at the sound of the voice, much to the protest of her headache.

"You?" she cried aloud.

The man stopped in his tracks. "Me?" Becca recognized him as the same man from the tavern.

"You!" Becca yelled again.

"You!" he shouted back.

"Well what are you saying 'You!' for?"

"I'm saying 'You!' because you keep saying 'You!' at me!" the man sputtered.

Becca made a confused face. "What?"

He raised an eyebrow. "I'm going to need more rum for this." The man squinted at his chest of rum, which suddenly seemed much smaller. "A lot more rum." He turned for the cabin door, with every intention of finding more.

"Wait! Don't just leave! Come back here!" Becca pulled the covers off of her and jumped out of the bed.

She barely got two steps in before her headache came back raging more than ever. Her knees buckled beneath her, threatening to make her lose her balance.

The man was under her arms before she even had the chance to fall. Cautiously, he lifted her back into his bed and slowly set her down. She raised a hand over her throbbing head and shut her eyes.

"Could you just explain to me what is going on?" It was a defeated plea.

Jack didn't have time to open his mouth before Matilda came barging through his cabin doors. Her eyes widened slightly at the sight of the awake girl but she quickly rushed to her side, pushing Jack out of his place.

"Out with you! No one comes in until she is fully recovered," Matilda shooed him out the door, much to Jack's shock.

Gibbs, still standing at the helm, chuckled softly at Jack's startled face. "So she's awake now?"

Jack nodded, scratching his chin. Instinctively, he reached for his compass but remembered he left it on the table in his cabin. He grimaced at the door, not willing to face Matilda again. Instead, he informed Gibbs he was heading down to the crew's sleeping quarters to rest up, at least until things calmed down.

He stumbled below deck into the dimly lit bunk room, sticking his tongue out at the smell. He should have given the crew a chance to wash up before they left so quickly. Then again… he lifted his collar to his nose and gave himself a whiff. Perhaps he was the one who should wash up. He found a spare hammock and climbed in.

Maybe it was the crew shuffling around, or the raggedy hammock sinking to the floor, but despite his attempts and his exhaustion he couldn't fall asleep. He found himself thinking over the events of the past few days, and of Becca.

Jack didn't really know what to think about this girl. She just seemed so... Unusual. And that was coming from _him_. He was no stranger to the unusual. But something happened that night at the tavern, before the shadow-creature, or Reaper, or whatever they were called. Jack knew she wasn't just drinking for your average pirate pleasure. He was all too familiar with the idea of turning to rum to drown out something painful.

He didn't want to think about it.

Eventually, Jack somehow managed to fall asleep. He must've slept for a while, because by the time he clambered out and onto the deck nearly the full day had passed.

Gibbs still stood at the helm where Jack left him, exhaustion starting to build in his eyes, guiding the Black Pearl over the shining water. Jack took a second to admire the Pearl's beauty. Her black sails rippled gently in the wind. Jack grazed his eyes over the ship, watching the crew lazily tie things down to prepare for the night's voyage. They were to sail to New Providence, a pirate haven of sorts. A place where they might be able to hide away for a bit, restock the ship and get Becca on her way.

Jack took a swig out of a bottle he didn't realize he was holding, enjoying the taste of rum once again on his dry lips. He made his way to the helm.

"Mr. Gibbs," he addressed his friend.

Gibbs gave a tired nod. "Unfortunately your cabin is still occupied, Captain."

Jack nodded and offered some of his rum to Gibbs, who hesitantly grabbed it. It wasn't often that Jack shared his rum, but it was just as often that Jack had a mate such as Gibbs. When Gibbs realized Jack was being sincere, he graciously took several sips.

"You are free to retire for the night, Gibbs."

Gibbs wiped his lips, handing him back the now nearly-empty bottle. "Thank you, Captain."

He left the wheel to Jack, who rubbed his hands slowly over the wood as if to apologize for sleeping so long. He wrapped his hands around the spokes and glanced at the sky to ensure they were on the right course.

Before long, the sun set and night fell. Cotton, an older man void of a voice except for the parrot which stood atop his shoulder, leaned against the ship with a worn fiddle he had learned to play. He put a lantern at his feet and began quietly playing an upbeat tune. Soon the crew steadily gathered around him, enjoying the small bit of entertainment, passing rum and bouts of laughter between them. Jack gave a half smile and took a breath of salty air, turning his attention back to the sea.

Becca found herself waking up to the soft tune of a fiddle. She opened her eyes, trying to remember where she was. Slowly she sat up in the bed, scanning the room for clues. She looked over mislaid maps and random trinkets until her eyes fell upon a slightly familiar hat, resting carelessly on top a table. As if awakening from a dream, she remembered waking up earlier and being startled by the captain from the tavern. Becca wondered how long ago that had been. She wished she could remember more than that.

Not one to wait around for answers, Becca stood up, more carefully than last time, and headed for the cabin door. She regretted not having a knife of some sorts, in case what she found beyond the door was worse than what she hoped. Even still, the friendly sound of music seemed to beckon her out. Quietly, she opened the door and was surprised to find that it was well into the night. The moon glowed over the dark water. She shut the door behind her, soaking in the grand ship before her.

She took in a small breath. This ship, ragged as it was, was no ordinary ship. Black sails, black wood, blacker than the night and sea itself… there was only one ship this could be. Perhaps the most infamous ship of all. Feared by ports, hunted by Navy and EITC alike.

"The Black Pearl…" she breathed.

Her attention was quickly drawn to the starboard side, where the men of the crew sat on barrels and chairs, lively with conversation and music. It was a shocking site, to say the least, on such a notorious ship. Without thinking, she made her way to the group, her bare feet making it easy to creep across.

It wasn't long until the men noticed her presence, however. They glanced uneasily among each other, but a short older woman who sat with the men beckoned her over, pulling an unused barrel for her to sit on. With her gesture the pirates seemed to deem her company acceptable, and went back to muttering to each other.

"My name is Matilda. You must be very confused."

Becca nodded uncertainly. She wasn't quite sure if these people were worth trusting. "Listen, I had too much rum yester- or well, the last time I was awake. I don't know what I did but I didn't do it sober. If you could just return me to the nearest port, I'll give you anything you-"

Becca was cut off by Matilda's laugh. She raised an eyebrow and pursed her lips, wondering what she said that could be so funny.

Matilda quickly recovered, "It's a long story. You've been out for about three days now."

"Three days?" Becca cried. _Three whole days?_

"Aye," Matilda nodded, but her attention had moved to Becca's wrist. She gently turned over Becca's hand and pulled up the sleeve, revealing two black dark marks. "You've had a brush with the reapers before, haven't you?"

Becca couldn't tear away her gaze from the scars. She was positive there was only one before. It appeared after… after her ship was attacked. Panic rose in her throat. Perhaps it was like a disease, only going to continue spreading before it killed her off.

"The dark shadows?" Becca asked.

"Not just shadows," Matilda said. "Ancient demons of death."

Becca soon realized the crew had begun to listen in to their story and quickly covered her scars with her sleeve. "Why do I have another black scar?" She wasn't really sure, but she felt Matilda knew the answer.

Matilda looked compassionately at Becca. "It was a dark night. I'm sure you don't remember. But the sight of one who had already been tainted by death- well, we are lucky it wasn't able to finish the job."

Becca's memories slowly started coming back to her. She vaguely remembered the cloaked figure reaching out for her until all had faded to black. It was the same as the ones who took her ship, her crew. _And Carter_. Her poor first mate.

"So who do I have to thank for saving me?"

Matilda laughed. "One for honor, are we? That'd be me and Gibbs, and er," Matilda pointed to the man now guiding the ship, who was obviously trying to appear as if he had not been listening, "your little friend over there."

Becca tried not to stare too long at the second man, but nodded her thanks at the one called Gibbs, and gave her gratitude towards Matilda. Matilda grabbed her wrist again. "To have escaped this death twice… 'tis truly a feat, miss-"

"Captain Waters," Becca said, quickly wishing she hadn't just called herself a captain in front of the whole crew. "Er, Becca Waters."

"Well Miss Waters, let's hope your luck against death hasn't yet run out."

Becca chuckled slightly at that note. "Am I-"

"Going to live?" Matilda said, finishing the sentence for her. "Aye, you'll be fine. Just get some sun tomorrow. The reapers feed off of darkness and shadows, so it'd be good for you to replenish yourself."

Becca graciously thanked Matilda. A thousand questions still flooded her mind, but the fiddler had picked up another tune, and for now she was content to be alive.

She stole the occasional glance at the captain who guided the ship from the helm, any signs of familiarity hidden underneath the shadows of his face. She supposed she would have to thank him, eventually. She leaned back on her seat, admiring the torn ship that was surely a beaut if not anything else. For the Black Pearl having such a fearful name behind it, it was far from what Becca imagined it to be like.

Charming, even.

Before long, the crew had retired to bed to prepare for port the next day. Even Matilda had gone back to her quarters. The fiddler finished a last, somber tune and gave Becca a ragged smile before packing up his instrument.

Becca soon became conscious of the fact that she was the last one awake. She stood up, stretching her stiff legs, and found herself drifting to the railing, not feeling tired at all. She rested her arms and leaned on the dark wood, watching the ship break through the glassy water. At this time of night, the ship was hardly visible. She wondered how many unsuspecting ships the Pearl had preyed upon under the guise of night.

"Pretty, isn't she?"

A voice startled her thoughts. Becca turned and saw the captain leaning against the side, running a hand across the railing.

Becca nodded, flustered at being caught off-guard. "I've heard many stories about the Black Pearl, but she is more than what I imagined."

"Ah," said the captain, inching a little closer. "Familiar with the Pearl? Not many that know her live to tell the tale." He looked over her face, searching her eyes. "Perhaps I've threatened you before."

Becca smirked. "I'm sure you would have remembered, if that were the case."

He said nothing, only taking a swig from a bottle of rum. He offered it to her, which she happily took.

She returned the bottle and continued, "Besides, after the run-in the Pearl had with Port Royal, there isn't many in the Caribbean who wouldn't know her name."

The captain only nodded at this, though with a more solemn expression. He leaned over the railing. Becca followed suit, though keeping her distance.

"The funny thing is that I know so much about the Pearl, and yet I don't even know her captain's name," Becca said, disrupting the silence. "At least allow me to thank you properly."

The captain chuckled slightly, taking another sip of rum. He let the silence fall for a bit longer, turning over the bottle in his hands. Finally, he broke the silence.

"Captain Jack Sparrow."

Becca's mouth ran dry. Her mind became blank.

"You alright, luv?" he asked.

Her heart sunk to the floor. It was impossible. The man before her couldn't be… _him_. But after all these years, how was she to know? She couldn't describe the feeling that was building inside her now.

"Jack Sparrow?" she repeated, clearing her throat.

The captain said nothing, only searching her eyes.

"The Jack Sparrow I knew ran away with the East India Trading Company," Becca said dryly, barely able to make the words out.

Jack furrowed his brows as if he was finally putting pieces together. Before he had time to react further, Becca ducked under his arm, pulled his cutlass from his sheath and whipped the blade towards his chest. Jack spun around and realized what she had done a moment too late, surprise and wonder shining in his eyes.

Becca stepped forward, forcing Jack to take a step backwards to avoid a sword to the neck.

"The Jack Sparrow I knew ran away when the winds shifted in his favor." Becca said, nothing stopping the rage building in her now. "The Jack Sparrow I knew stopped visiting when he got a better offer in his pocket." She pointed her sword further, trapping Jack between her and the railing. "The Jack Sparrow I knew broke his promises, and never returned again. He left a poor, stupid girl to waste her time believing _he still cared for her_."

The sword was nearly touching his neck now. Her voice cracked a bit as she said, "Tell me you are not that man."

Jack, from his awkward position between the sword and the railing, cautiously looked Becca over. Amidst this new turn of events, she hadn't noticed that her necklace lay exposed, and had fallen out of its pocket between her breast. The fraying thread was still holding the charm she always held close. Two feathers, wrapped within a string. Jack knew there was only one person who could have that necklace.

Jack slowly rose his eyes to meet the girl- no, a woman now- who stood before him. Was he really so careless to quickly forget those kind, brown eyes of hers?

"I am not that man you speak of," he said, not breaking eye contact. "I would never do those things."

Becca let out the breath she didn't realize she was holding. The sword, though still held out against the captain, was lowered slightly in her relief. Jack took this as an opportunity to stand up.

"But I am not the one who needs to explain anything," he continued. "Not to the girl who left her best mate, the only one who truly understood you, _me_ , to rot in jail. Not when I trusted you with _every_ secret and I was left to die," he paused, giving Becca a chance to react. She brought the sword up to his neck again, but this time he did not back down. "I don't need to explain anything to you. Not when you left me to marry the very bastard who sought to break me."

So he was the man she thought he was after all.

Becca's eyes flashed with rage. "How dare you mock me, Sparrow? You left me because some richer man offered you a better deal, and you took it. 'Personal Privateer of Cutler Beckett'," she said with a mocking voice. "Oh, I don't blame you. Any _pirate_ would have done the same," she spit the words in his face.

Jack scrunched up his face. Why would he ever willingly leave her, especially to work under that mangy midget?

Jack paused, holding Becca's gaze. "I never left you. Not on purpose. I was dragged out by Beckett's men in irons, strapped to my own ship," he said, pointing to the very mast he was chained to.

He ran his fingers along scratches in the wood, places that marked where he had been chained.

Becca could barely make out the marks, but sure enough, they were there. She lowered the sword she had kept pointed on Jack and reached a hand out to touch the marked wood. Thinking better of it, her hand stopped before the marks, falling inches away. It was as if touching the marks would actually make them real.

"Their plan was to have me take them to the Dutchman. They wanted to make a deal with him, as I did when I retrieved the Pearl from the depths of the sea. But I was able to escape."

Becca waited to speak until the silence became loud. "How am I supposed to believe you?" she quivered.

Jack walked over to her, forcing Becca to make eye-contact, but said nothing.

"They told me you left without a thought of me," Becca said, searching his eyes for the truth.

He cocked his head. "And they told me that you were betrothed to Beckett, the very man who lived to destroy me," he added.

"I was," she said. "It was my mother's doing." She paused before adding with a small smile, "But he was too short, really. And if he's lacking in height, who knows where else he's lacking?"

Jack gave a half-hearted laugh at her attempt to lighten the situation. It had been a long time since he had seen Rebecca. He had thought about her from time to time, like when he saw a fleeting bird, or when his feathers poked out from under his hair. He could never bring himself to take off the matching charm he had made them, and from the state of Rebecca's necklace, it appeared she couldn't either.

He had always remembered her as the 16 year old girl with kind eyes he never got to say goodbye to. She had grown up quite a bit since that time. Her eyes were not as soft as they once were. They had been hardened by the world. Seeing her before him made him wonder what the world might've been if they had left the shores together that day.

Jack quickly shook any thoughts of that away. No sense in wondering about what could have been.

Becca walked along the ship, admiring the rather simple sword in her hands. "So you finally became a pirate, then?" she asked, though she already knew the answer.

She walked the mast before handing Jack his sword back, which he took carefully, as if Becca were going to pull it away again.

Jack sheathed the sword, letting her question die in the wind. "You first."

Becca let out a sigh and sat on one of the remaining barrels. Eventually she came to tell the tale of how she found a crew herself.

It began nearly as soon as her mother told her she was to marry Beckett.

Rebecca had played her mother's game, even sent out wedding plans and threw engagement balls with Beckett, despite her opposition to the despicable man. All until the time was right. _At the opportune moment_ , as Jack had once told her.

Becca ran from home as soon as she could. She stowed away on a merchant's ship known as the _White Beaver_ until she was discovered, and was thrown onto the next port the merchants were visiting. Luckily for her (or unluckily, depending on your opinion of pirates), that port was Tortuga.

Tortuga was no place for a girl with such high upbringing as her. But Rebecca was smart and willing to work. She found jobs where she could. Sometimes she would sleep on the streets or if she had enough money, would stay at a local tavern. Despite her situation, every night she would sit on the beach and watch the ships come into port. Eventually, one captain took notice of her interest in the sea. He offered her a job, a place to sleep, and food if she would come work as their deckhand.

Rebecca agreed immediately. She became the best cabin girl aboard _The Felicity_ there ever was. Time was passing, captains changed, but she remained. She even shortened her name to Becca, doing everything she could to move on from her past life. She was rising up the ranks, until one captain that came before her decided _she_ was the best person to take the ship. And none of the crew protested. Becca built a name for herself and happily roamed the seas as Captain Becca Waters.

Jack said nothing as she told her story. After all this time of wondering what happened to her, if she was happy with Beckett, if she ever regretted what happened… well, it was a relief to hear her life was not what he thought, even if it hadn't always been easy.

"And your crew? Where are they now?" Jack asked.

Becca's eyes fell to the floor. "I was foolish. Greedy. I had convinced them that we were going after the one treasure England couldn't bear to lose. One that would save pirates everywhere."

Becca paused, giving silence a chance to fill the air. "Ever heard of Pandora's Box, Sparrow?"

Jack raised an eyebrow. "It's just a myth. I've looked for it myself."

Becca chuckled. "That's what I thought, at first. Until I caught wind of a secret weapon the East India Trading Company had begun to use against anyone bearing a jolly roger. A chest that could control the ocean. Like many others I went after this box, but so far I have been the only one to find it and live to tell the tale," she said, suddenly losing her smile. "I didn't know what I was getting into. I didn't know those… reapers would take my men like that. We had found the ship with the chest but we were no match for the devils that lay within.

"They flooded out everywhere, blotting out the sky. They ripped my men into nothing. I wouldn't be alive today if it weren't for my first mate. He pushed me into the water and out of sight before the reapers caught me." She rolled up her sleeve and showed Jack her scar. "But not before they left this."

"The scars."

Becca forced her sleeve down. "And I suppose you know the rest of my story," she said, not willing to go over the rest of the events that had occurred. "Now you tell me yours."

Jack nodded. "After I was chained up and sent to work by our _lovely_ friend Beckett, I was able to use lantern oil to slip out of my chains. It wasn't so hard to dispose of the guards- there were only three. I always thought Beckett thought higher of me than that," he chuckled. "I built my life from there."

"And in Port Royal?"

"I dabbled there. Broke a curse, met some friends, killed an old one, escaped death. Nothing unusual," he commented with a crooked grin.

Becca matched his smile and decided to leave it at that. Some stories were better left to be legends.

The two remained in silence, listening to the lapping of waves against the ship. It was a comfortable silence, the kind you have when you don't know what to talk about, but just being in their company is enough. The black sky had begun to turn into a soft blue as the sun slowly rose up.

The sun was almost over the horizon before Jack quickly sprang up and ran to the opposite railing. Becca, startled from her deep thought, followed him. Jack was looking through a brass telescope, and she followed his line of site to see what had him so eager.

A large land mass with ships waiting by the shore slowly came into view. Jack cracked a smile.

"Land ho."


End file.
